The Temple
The original Temple was a plaster sculpture created in 1905 as a stage piece for the pageant A Masque of Ours; The Gods and the Golden Bowl, which was performed by the artists living in the area to celebrate Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ 20th year in Cornish. It is not a work by Saint-Gaudens himself, and no more thought was put into it than what was needed for the stage.
The Temple standing today at Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park was carved from marble in 1914 from a design by architect William Kendal. It is based on photographs taken at the pageant. Its significance is that it is the final resting place for the ashes of Saint-Gaudens, his wife Augusta, son Homer, brother Louis, daughter-in-law Carlota Dolley, and grandson Harold, who died in infancy.
Inscription lists those interred at the Temple
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Last updated on June 16, 2020
